Getty Robin Lopez #33, Cleveland Cavaliers, Andre Drummond #3, Chicago Bulls
On a January 14 episode of “Pullin’ Up With Keith Smith and Adam Taylor,” Smith brought up which backup centers the Philadelphia 76ers could potentially target via trade. One option that Smith brought up is a familiar face who played well for the Sixers in the past.
“I wouldn’t be shocked fully if it turned into a, ‘You know what, let’s get Andre Drummond back,'” Smith said. “So he is a guy whose contract has expired and he signed with the Bulls. If the Bulls say, ‘Yeah, backup center is a luxury for us because we’re not very good,’ Philly could go trade for Drummond for next to nothing. And that could be, you know, this was because he played really well for Philadelphia a year ago.”
Drummond played 49 games for the Sixers before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that netted James Harden. In his stint with the Sixers, Drummond averaged 6.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, two assists, and 0.9 blocks in 18.4 minutes a game.
The Bulls are currently 20-24 and are tied for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They are at an impasse because while they haven’t done as well as they would have hoped, they’re still in the playoff race. They will have to decide what direction they plan to go in at the trade deadline. If they decide to rebuild, Drummond could become available.
Smith’s Thoughts on Sixers’ Backup Center Situation
Smith brought Drummond up as a possible option because he believes the Sixers need a more reliable backup center than the ones they have now, especially if Joel Embiid goes down with an injury.
“If Embiid goes down for any length of time, which unfortunately tends to happen with him, you cannot be rolling with PJ Tucker or Montrezl Harrell as your only fives that you trust on the roster. Paul Reed is completely fallen out of the rotation. They’re not doing anything with him. So they’re gonna come away with whether it’s on the buyout market or something or do a minor trade or something.”
Drummond is making $3.2 million this season, so the Sixers would have the salaries to match to potentially acquire the two-time all-star. Again, it would all depend on if the Bulls decide that they need to rebuild, but if they do, reuniting with Drummond would be financially feasible.
Drummond Loves Playing in Philadelphia
In an interview with Ky Carlin of SixersWire, Drummond spoke fondly of his time with the Sixers, talking about how the city embraced him during his time with the team.
“I think just how much of a family this organization is. They welcomed me, they made me feel very comfortable when I got here. As a team, we just had a lot of fun as a team. We really cared about each other. We had one common goal, which is to win as many games as possible and be great. I’m sad that we had to break things up in February,” Drummond said.
Drummond even went as far as saying that he missed playing for the Sixers and Doc Rivers.
“I definitely miss playing here. I had a lot of fun playing for Doc, somebody who I’ve known since a boy and have so much respect for him, so to have the chance to play for him was awesome for me. The city of Philadelphia, man, the fan base is one of a kind. I loved it here.”